Update // Moving to the UK

Hello England!

© Mia Kay Fitness 2015

I am now living in Leeds to start my new chapter in life. I will occasionally be making visits to Hong Kong, so for my fellow followers from there fret not because I will still be carrying on posting my health and fitness journey to you. Although I won't be on at the same timezone, I plan to post regularly so you won't be missing anything out.

Escaping the busy city life in Hong Kong, I hope to use the extra time that I have in my spare time to post and share more content with you guys to help you achieve leading a healthier lifestyle based on my own experience.

With the last month or two having been filled with social activities, my diet and training was not up to par so I'm looking forward to getting back to the gym and amping up my training to get in good shape for the new year! So what better way than to post my fit happenings with you so we can get in shape together to enter the new year with a positive start- feeling fresh, energetic, confident and healthy!

I look forward to sharing my journey with you all. #letsgetfitfor2016

If you have any questions to ask me, I would be more than happy to reply so please do give me shout on my instagram or comment on this post.

Amazing Benefits Of Foam Rolling

Mia Kay Fitness 2015, Foam Rolling ©

Have you ever had those days where you feel like you’re muscles are sore and tight but you neglected doing anything about it?  At first I was skeptical about the benefits of using a piece of foam to loosen my muscles but when it comes to resistance training, the very thought of alleviating my DOMS encouraged me to do something about it. It’s now my go-to fitness product and (almost) everyday ritual, especially after leg days or running.

At first the pain may seem unbearable but you’ll soon learn to love the pain! Sounds a bit crazy but trust me on this.

So what are the benefits?

1) Foam rolling is a great way to reduce mild muscle tension, especially after a hard workout. I find it great for loosening off the IT band (outside of your leg from the knee up), my glutes and calves. 

2) It helps to decrease recovery time by helping with muscle repair. For all of you frequent gym-goers you’d be happy to know that using a foam roller can help you get more training session in per month.

3) It doesn’t cost much in comparison to booking a sports massage so you’ll be saving yourself a lot of money. If you do buy one, you can get compact ones, which you can use wherever, and whenever you want so it’s super convenient. Having one at home will help you do a bit here and there saving your time on making trips to the gym/ sports therapist. You may even be lucky to have one in your local gym which you can use.

4) Lastly for females – it can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite so when beach season comes, you’ll be feeling more confident in your own skin.

When do I use it?

I sometimes use it before my workout as a warm-up if my muscles are feeling a bit tight but I most often use it during the evening where I spare some minutes before bed.

Using it before your workout helps to increase blood flow to my muscles to areas that may not be receiving much blood flow whilst reducing tension in the muscles. If your muscle is too tight when you start your workout, you may not be able to get deep enough into your exercise so you’re essentially restricting yourself in getting better results.

Using it after your workouts helps to flush out the blood flow and allows fresh nutrients and oxygen to help with the healing process. You may also find it helps me to unwind, relax and get a restful sleep if I do it before I go to sleep.

Let me know if you try and how you feel in the comment below! Or if you’ve got a tip for muscle recovery please share it!

MKx

@miakayfitness

Get Gymming // My Workout Schedule

Mia Kay Fitness © 2015

For those that have seen my @miakayfitness Instagram - I love to workout and keep in good shape! :) You may have been wondering what my gym schedule is like so here is a summary of how I plan/go about a typical week.

Monday

Weight Training- Upper body
4 sets x 15-20 reps for 4 moves

Tuesday

Weight Training- Lower body
4 sets x 15 reps for 4 moves

Wednesday

Rest

Thursday

Cardio or HIIT

Friday 

Weight Training- Upper body
4 sets x 15 reps for 4 moves

Saturday

Weight Training- Lower body
4 sets x 15 reps for 4 moves

Sunday

Rest/ Cardio

This is literally what I write in my planner every Monday morning on my way to work!
Fit tip: Write down which days you are going to work out and commit to it as you would with a doctor's appointment/ client meeting. Planning is the key to success here so save a couple of minutes on a Sunday or Monday morning to plan. Treat your exercise the same as you do with your meetings.

I prefer to separate my weight training into upper and lower body days to allow myself to train regularly whilst giving my muscles enough time to recover and grow.

Workout frequency

I usually workout 5-6 times a week but there are times where I'm working 2 times a week so don't go thinking you have to be working out nearly every day to get the body you want. I've been exercising pretty much all my life so my body is used to the number of times I train. I suggest if you are a beginner to gradually build up to allow yourself enough time to get into it so that you don't overtrain and injure yourself.  It's all about committing in the long run and looking after your body. We want looking and feeling good a part of our lifestyle that is maintainable year round! ;)

My Upper Body Days

I have no hard fast rules as to what I do on my upper body days or my lower body days. I tend to incorporate different exercises on different days to keep my workouts fun and interesting.

Moves I do include:

• push ups
• arnies
• pull ups
• bent over rows
• shoulder press
• bicep curls
• tricep curls

My Lower Body Days

Moves I do:

• weighted squats with the bar
• goblet squats
• single leg squats
• deadlifts
• jump squats
• leg press
• donkey kicks
• weighted lunges

My Cardio/HIIT Days

I typically run outside, go hiking (Hong Kong is ideal for this!) or do spinning. I've recently picked up kickboxing which is also great exercise for building muscle too- a great fat burner. I also do intense bursts of short exercises with minimal rest (eg. 30 seconds on, 10 secs rest - repeat) also referred to as HIIT. This usually consists of bodyweight and pylometric exercises like jump squats, burpees, tuck jumps, jump rope, push ups, mountain climbers etc.

Reps & Sets

I generally stick to 4 sets with 15 reps which is suggested for women for that lean muscle definition. If you're looking to build muscle mass, I suggest doing 8-10 reps instead. Every now and then I do switch and do 8-10 rep just to change the intensity of my exercise so that I avoid hitting a plateau. 

Hope this helps to give you an overview of my workout approach! If you have any questions please feel free to comment below or email me at miakayfitness@gmail.com I would be super happy to hear from you! :)

MK x

8 Easy Ways That Will Help You Get Healthier

Trying to lead a healthy lifestyle but feeling overwhelmed at the thought of making changes to your current routine? Being healthy doesn't have to mean overhauling your entire lifestyle. Small tweaks practiced consistently over time can make a world of a difference in how you feel.

@miakayfitness 2015 ©

Here are 8 little ways to be your healthier self...

1. Spread avocado instead of butter

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and burn some extra calories

3. Eat whole bread instead of White bread

4. Use a foam roll instead of stretching to loosen those tight muscles

5. Floss your teeth- remove that film of bacteria. Yes...Yuck.

6. Drink more water, less soda!

7. Get planking! No equipment, No excuses

8. Go for free weights over machines as they allow for a full range of motion in the joints

Test yourself to see how much you can incorporate into your daily routine. None require the gym except for No. 8 so no excuses for not trying! Lets do this!

MK x

FITNESS // How To Stay Motivated To Workout

Mia Kay Fitness ©

How many times have you started working out and then quit? Sticking to a workout or diet plan is hard! It's not going to be easy. You're not going to get results overnight. You have to work for it. But it IS possible. You CAN do it. Don't give up hope!

Here are my 6 tips that help me to stay dedicated to workout...

1. Stash The Scale

When it comes to results, checking your body weight is not the best approach to track your progress. You may be tempted but I urge you to not get focussed on the scale because it is only an indicator. The scales doesn't show internal changes happening to your body when you workout for example your body composition, improved balance/ coordination/ flexible. Your weight can simply fluctuate a lot simply by drinking a lot of water and sweating after your workout so it's not reliable.

In fact, I don't even weigh myself to track my progress. I go by how I feel, how well I can move and the mirror test.

2. Find Workouts You Enjoy

Don't force yourself to follow a workout plan. Instead find movement you enjoy doing. You want to go with a workout that gets you excited about moving so that you can stick with it. Being consistent is key to getting results.

3. Schedule A Workout Time

Organisation is key. Plan your workouts ahead of time and note them down as appointments. You don't miss work meetings or doctors appointment, so why should you miss your workouts? Plan your week ahead every Sunday so you can balance and schedule time to workout and spend time with friends/ family.

4. Buddy Up

Go workout with a friend who wants to get in shape too! Motivate and support each other to workout. Get people to know your health and fitness goals so that they can support you to achieve your goals.

5. Wear Good Gear

If you feel good and comfortable in your workout clothes, you're more likely going to put on your workout gear on in the first place to get you moving! I advice in investing in a pair of good shoes, a top and shorts (leggings) that will help you have a more effective workout, feel inspired and make you look better while you workout. With the right clothes, you'll have ample movement to stretch to your potential.

6. Music

Have a good playlist on that's going to help you crank up your workout! Pick out motivation/ 'feel good; songs and listen to them on the way to the gym to get you into the mindset to workout. 

Hope you find these tips useful! Live and Lift!

MK x